The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released about P311 million for the special risk allowance (SRA) benefits of some public and private health workers, data posted on the agency’s website showed.
According to the DBM’s latest special allotment release order listing, P280.07 million was released to the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday to cover the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) SRA of both public and private health workers, while another P31.72 million was released for the COVID-19 SRA of public health workers.
Tina Rose Marie Canda, DBM officer-in-charge, said the amount will cover the SRA for 20,000 health workers.
“The funds for government health workers will come from the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund, while the unprogrammed appropriation has a cash back up to cover the health workers from the private sector,” Canda said in the LagingHanda virtual briefing.
“I think this will be given first to those who were not able to receive (the earlier benefits) but are directly (handling COVID-19 patients),” she added.
As for the other health workers, Canda said the DOH will provide a list of thoseto be given the benefits in order to know the magnitude, as to how many health workers and who will be covered.
“So we need to know those first, to know how much will be needed,” Canda said.
“Because this P311 million will cover only the 20,000 who were not able to receive under the first category, under Bayanihan 2,” she added. — Angela Celis
